Sunday, June 28, 2009

Photos of victims of extra-judicial killings and abducted political activists during an interfaith rally in the Philippines. (Mindanao Examiner Photo)

MANILA, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / June 28, 2009) – Communist rebels vowed to exact justice against government soldiers tagged as behind the abduction of a peasant activist Jonas Burgos in the Philippines.

The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) also condemned Filipino leader Gloria Arroyo for promoting three military officials allegedly involved in the disappearance of Burgos in April 2007.

“Arroyo's promotion of lieutenant colonels Noel Clement, Melquiades Feliciano and Edison Caga to full colonel only shows how she rewards fascist scoundrels who carry out with impunity her policy of state terrorism. She has demonstrated her complete disdain of human rights.”

“The promotion of these three military officers is in outright contempt of the aggrieved family, friends and advocates to the cause of Jonas Burgos,” the CPP said in a statement.

It said the three officials belong to the Philippine Army's 56th Infantry Battalion based in Bulacan’s Norzagaray town.

“They have been directly named as respondents in the habeas corpus case filed by the Burgos family. The pieces of evidence against the three include the license plate TAB 194 of a jeep impounded at their headquarters in Norzagaray. The license plate was seen attached to the van used in the abduction of Burgos,” the CPP said.

“The revolutionary forces will not tire in their efforts to achieve justice. Sooner or later, these fascists will pay for their crimes,” the CPP said.

The NPA is fighting the past four decades for the establishment of a Maoist state in the country. (Mindanao Examiner)